Tongue brush with powered roller

ABSTRACT

A tongue cleaner tool comprises a handle with an actuator therein and a rotatable roller or brush near one end of the handle that is driven by the actuator. The rotatable brush has soft protrusions, as knobs or bristles, to gently massage and clean the tongue as the brush is rotated inside a user&#39;s mouth and in contact with the surface of the tongue. The brush roller can have its axis normal to the length of the handle or parallel with it. Liquid, as water or mouthwash, is advantageously provided in a reservoir in the handle or in the roller, to be dispensed onto the tongue through the handle or via the roller directly. One or more rollers can be used, and a shield can be provided over part of each roller to direct the liquid and to protect other parts of the mouth of the user.

I claim the benefit of priority of the disclosure in my provisional application Ser. No. 61/825,874, filed May 21, 2013, entitled TONGUE BRUSH WITH ROTATING HEADS.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates to oral hygiene devices for maintaining healthy teeth, gums, tongues, and mouths of humans and animals.

BACKGROUND OF THE ART

Most consumer-oriented dental hygiene devices and appliances are intended for cleaning teeth and massaging gums. The tongue of a person or animal is an important element of any oral hygiene maintenance program but is typically neglected. Dentists rarely advise patients to clean their tongues, but a clean tongue can contribute significantly to personal cleanliness and comfort.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is an object of this invention to provide a powered appliance for enhancing oral hygiene in a manner that is easy and comfortable to use and effective in its cleaning operation. A powered handle holds an actuator, such as a motor and a drive shaft, connecting to a rotating, knobbed- or bristled-brush that is sized and suited for insertion into the oral cavity. The axis of rotation can be parallel or perpendicular to the handle, and the brush can be open or have a cover to one side or over the brush. Fluid such as water or mouth wash is advantageously provided to the area of the brushing, through the handle or through the rotating brush itself, from a refillable reservoir provided either in the handle or within the brush or brushes.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of one form of the invention with a pair of rollers turning on an axis perpendicular to the handle and a fluid outlet at the end of the handle piece.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of another form of the invention, having one roller mounted coaxially with the handle and fluid outlets in the rotating brush surface.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a coaxial roller brush with a cover.

THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

A tool for cleaning the tongue of a human or animal in one form has a handle 10 containing a battery as a power supply (not shown), a power switch 12, and an elongated portion 14 for extension into the mouth of that human or animal. Inside the handle is an actuator such as a motor (not shown) of any known sort that drives a shaft extending into the elongated portion 14 for driving, in this form of the invention, a pair of rollers 16 extending perpendicular to the portion 14 for engaging a surface of the tongue. A suitable worm, bevel, or other gear set, not shown, transfers the motion of the shaft to the rollers, driving them rotationally at a desired speed and with sufficient torque to gently massage and clean the surface of the tongue when the rollers are in contact with it. The switch 12 may have multiple positions to afford different rotational speeds to the rollers 16 to accommodate preferences of different users.

Each roller 16 is provided with a number of radially-extending knobs or bristles 18 of relatively soft material for engaging and massaging and cleaning the surface of the tongue when they are pressed against that surface while the rollers 16 are rotating.

In accordance with another facet of the invention, a liquid supply reservoir 20 may be provided in the handle 10 for containing a liquid 22 such as water or mouthwash. This liquid can then be released either to the tip 24 of the elongated portion 14, as shown in FIG. 1, or through apertures 24 formed in the surfaces of a roller 116, as in FIG. 2, or even at the tips of the bristles 18 (not shown), as may be selected by the manufacturer, when the rollers 16, 16 or 116 are rotating in use. Any suitable valving (not shown) can be employed to maintain the liquid 22 within the reservoir 20 when the tool 10 is not in use; alternatively, the liquid supply system can be arranged so as not to leak when the tool is stored with its tip 24 gravitationally upwards.

In another form of the invention, shown in FIG. 2, a single roller 116 is arranged with its axis of rotation generally parallel to the extension 114 of the handle 110. Knobs or bristles 118 extend from the surface of the roller 116, and, in this form, apertures 124 through the surface of the roller 116 allow passage of liquid 22 from a reservoir 120 in the handle 110 or from within the roller 116 itself onto the surface of the tongue of the user or animal. Alternatively, apertures in the tips of the knobs or bristles 118 can allow passage of the liquid 22 onto the tongue.

FIG. 3 shows a roller brush 216, similar to that of FIG. 2, with a cover 220 affixed to the extension 214 of the handle (not shown) to shield the mouth of the user or animal adjacent the tongue from the rotating roller 216 and its bristles or knobs 218. The roller 216, but not the handle extension 214, rotates as shown by the arrow under power from the actuator in the handle via a drive shaft in the extension 214. The shield 220 will avoid the spraying of liquid 22 from the roller 216 throughout the mouth of the user or animal apart from the tongue.

In use of any of the forms of the invention, a desired liquid 22 is filled into the reservoir in the handle, at 20 or 220, or in the roller(s) 16, 16 or 116 or 216. The roller(s) are placed into the mouth of the user or animal and the power switch 12 or 112 is activated to start the rollers rotating. Fluid flows from the reservoir or from inside the roller(s) and onto the surface of the tongue, where it assists in the cleaning and massaging of the surface of the tongue as the roller(s) are moved about that surface. Once the tongue is thoroughly massaged and cleaned by the knobs or bristles on the roller(s), the power is turned off and the tool is withdrawn from the mouth of the user or animal. Further rinsing of the oral cavity is then accomplished as is normally done after tooth brushing.

Many variations may be made in the invention as shown and its manner of use, without departing from the principles of the invention as described herein and/or as claimed as the invention. Minor variations will not avoid the use of the invention. 

I claim as my invention:
 1. A tool for cleaning the tongue of a human or animal, the tool comprising: an elongated handle including a powered actuator; and a cylindrical roller rotatably driven by said actuator, the roller being positioned on said tool to be engageable with an upper surface of said tongue, and the roller having a plurality of soft projections from its outer surface for kneading or brushing said surface of the tongue.
 2. A tool as defined in claim 1, further comprising a liquid storage container for receiving and holding a selected liquid for assisting in cleaning of the tongue, and a passage formed in at least one of the tool and the roller for releasing said liquid from said container onto the tongue as the roller rotates in contact with the tongue.
 3. A tool as defined in claim 1, wherein the roller is mounted transversely to the elongated tool.
 4. A tool as defined in claim 1, wherein the roller is mounted substantially axially of the elongated tool.
 5. A tool as defined in claim 1, wherein the roller is mounted together with a shield attached to the handle extension over the roller and opposite the tongue surface.
 6. A tool for cleaning the tongue of a human or animal, the tool comprising a handle with a powered actuator therein and an elongated portion carrying a rotating brush suited for insertion into the mouth of said human or animal and into engagement with a surface of said tongue for cleaning same.
 7. A tool as defined in claim 6, wherein the brush rotates on an axis normal to the elongated length of the handle.
 8. A tool as defined in claim 6, wherein the brush rotates on an axis generally parallel with the elongated length of the handle.
 9. A tool as defined in claim 6, further comprising a liquid reservoir in one of the handle and roller and at least one passage from the reservoir to the exterior of the roller brush and handle.
 10. A method of massaging and cleaning a tongue in the mouth of a person or animal, the method using a powered, rotatable roller on a handle, the roller having radially extending soft knobs or bristles, and the handle assisting the user in holding the roller against a surface of the tongue, the method comprising the steps of holding the rotating roller gently against the surface of the tongue and moving the roller across substantially all of said surface.
 11. The method of claim 10, further comprising the step of applying a selected liquid from one of the handle and the roller onto the tongue for lubricating and cleaning the surface of the tongue for enhancing the action of the roller and its knobs or bristles. 